title: BB0347, from the lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, is surface exposed and interacts with the CS1 heparin-binding domain of human fibronectin.
abstract: The causative agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, codes for several known fibronectin-binding proteins. Fibronectin a common the target of diverse bacterial pathogens, and has been shown to be essential in allowing for the development of certain disease states. Another borrelial protein, BB0347, has sequence similarity with these other known fibronectin-binding proteins, and may be important in Lyme disease pathogenesis. Herein, we perform an initial characterization of BB0347 via the use of molecular and biochemical techniques. We found that BB0347 is expressed, produced, and presented on the outer surface of intact B. burgdorferi. We also demonstrate that BB0347 has the potential to be important in Lyme disease progression, and have begun to characterize the nature of the interaction between human fibronectin and this bacterial protein. Further work is needed to define the role of this protein in the borrelial infection process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Edwin C. James Medical Research Facility Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States of America.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Gaultney
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Floden
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Brissette
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D025065:Borrelia burgdorferi / Q000378:metabolism*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005353:Fibronectins / Q000378:metabolism*; D006493:Heparin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D005353:Fibronectins; D006493:Heparin